A demand exists for devices that store large amounts of electrical energy. For example, the advent of the electric vehicle, development of fuel cells, applications in space exploration and in the military, to name only a few, are driving the demand for these devices. One type of electrical energy storage device is the ceramic capacitor.
Capacitors are reliable power sources for many applications, and the most common applications are in electronics. However, ceramic capacitors may replace more conventional energy storage devices in applications outside of the electronics market. For example, large banks of multilayer ceramic capacitors can replace lead-acid batteries. In addition to their bulk and excessive weight, batteries contain significant amounts of toxic materials such as lead, cadmium, and others. Moreover, batteries are characterized by low energy densities making them poor storage devices, particularly for mobile applications. Unlike conventional batteries, ceramic capacitors are lighter in weight and are generally more environmentally friendly.
Due to the demanding nature of the previously-mentioned applications, and in order to be a commercially viable alternative, a ceramic capacitor is needed that has a high dielectric constant, a high breakdown strength, a low specific gravity, and a low dissipation factor. In other words, the ceramic capacitors must achieve high volumetric efficiency or energy per cubic centimeter, be lightweight, and be capable of being efficiently charged and discharged.